


Condonare

by madasthesea



Series: Fure [13]
Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, set during QoA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 03:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8873206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madasthesea/pseuds/madasthesea
Summary: Aris talks to Costis after he punched the King.





	

Aris had cringed when his squad was assigned to guard Costis as he waited for the Queen to return home. But he’d hidden his discomfort and directed his men down to the barracks, arranging them in the narrow hallways. Aris took the closest post. Aris watched in shock as the King passed, a purple bruise marring his young face. 

Aris remembered the moment Costis wound back his fist and punched Attolis. He remembered watching the man collapse to the stones of the courtyard. He remembered his first coherent thought being “Costis is going to be killed.” And he had yet to be proven wrong. When he heard Costis’ voice raise just as the Queen brushed passed him, he fought to keep from hanging his head. If Costis had had any hope, he’d just lost it all.  

Aris waited, fighting away the grief. His best friend was going to die. He would be hanged if the Queen was feeling merciful, tortured if not. Aris wondered if he would be allowed to take two weeks off and make the trip to Ortia and tell Costis’ family himself. He’d met them once, which was once more than Teleus. His sister would be heartbroken. 

The sound of the curtain being pulled back made him straighten. The Queen passed again. He hadn’t yet been ordered to seize Costis and drag him to the gallows, so the King must still be speaking to him. But then the King left, and the order still hadn’t come. He waited several long moments, his entire squad looking at each other in confusion. He dismissed them. 

“Costis?” Aris called, pushing back the thin curtain in the doorway. He was a little worried that he would find Costis, run through and bleeding out. But instead he was kneeling on the floor amid the chaos of his room, staring at nothing, his mouth open in surprise. “Are you- what did they decide?” 

“I’m to be the King’s sparring partner,” Costis whispered, his voice hoarse.

“What?” Aris asked, sure he had misheard.

“I’m to be the King’s sparring partner,” he repeated, louder. Aris sat on the cot.

“So you’re pardoned?”

“I’m not sure that’s what this is,” Costis admitted. He had yet to look away from the doorway. Aris reached out and tugged on his arm until he rose from the floor to the cot. 

“But you’re not going to be executed.” Costis nodded. Aris smiled, throwing an arm around his shoulders with a laugh. “I thought I’d lost you for sure.” 

Costis looked at him, smiled slightly through his shock. “I was going to give you my sword,” he laughed. “And all the money in my purse. I had it all planned out.”

“Oh,” Aris said, a little surprised. He considered Costis his best friend, but it was odd to be included in his list of people he thought of on his deathbed. But a good odd. “Think I can convince the King to change his mind?” he joked. Costis laughed, shoving him away. 

“Come on.” Aris stood, pulling Costis with him, “Let’s go get you some food. I’ve heard a meal tastes better after you’ve gotten off death row.”

Costis rolled his eyes and let himself be pulled along. Aris could tell he was still worried, still afraid of the wrath of the monarchs, but right now all Aris could think about was how relieved he was that he didn’t have to watch his execution.


End file.
